


The Road to I Do

by someonehelpme



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Bruce is trying, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Marriage, Vacation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-06-19 02:57:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15500802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/someonehelpme/pseuds/someonehelpme
Summary: Conner and Tim are in love, so getting engaged seemed like the next step for them. This could be a good idea. If they had told anyone they were dating in the first place. So they decide to do the only rational thing: run away to Europe and avoid everyone.





	1. Chapter

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm trying to write a real fic. This idea has been bouncing around my head for several months, so I thought I'd write it and see. It's been sitting in my WIPs for a while and I thought I'd just post it. I hope you'll like it!
> 
>  
> 
> I have no beta, so all mistakes are mine.

Bruce could count on one hand the number of times he’d seen Alfred cry. When Martha and Thomas Wayne died was once. Jason’s death and subsequent rebirth was second and third times. Alfred had always been a pillar of strength for the Wayne Family and had done his best to never show his sadness. Alfred certainly cried more than he let Bruce know. But he very rarely showed tears where the Manor residents can see him.

So when Conner Kent leaves the room with red eyes and the Family finds Alfred sitting, silent tears running down his face, they were understandable concerned.

Conner had come over early that afternoon and requested to speak to Alfred. That request, while odd, was not worrying. He didn’t appear to be upset, only nervous. The Family assumed it had something to do with the ongoing feud between Martha Kent and Alfred. Ma still refused to share her famous apple pie recipe, saying it had to be kept in the family. In return, Alfred still won’t tell her how to make the lemon cookies she loved. The good natured feud had been alive for as long as many members of the Wayne family could remember.

Alfred had shooed Conner into one of the small sitting rooms. The rest of the Family had gone about their regular routines and prepared for patrol.  It was only after two hours that Bruce noticed that Alfred wasn’t preparing anything for dinner like he normally did. He searched all over the Manor before coming to halt before the door that Alfred had ushered Conner into earlier that day. He raised his hand to knock, but hesitated. Whatever Conner needed to tell Alfred was obviously more important than he had first suspected. He doubted either of them would appreciate an interruption. The sitting room door stayed closed.

Slowly, the Family gathered outside of the door. Dick came searching for some long lost book on medieval weaponry. Damian couldn’t find Titus’s dog food and needed Alfred’s help. Jason wanted Alfred’s chicken pot pie recipe. They all waited outside the room with growing apprehension. The door stayed closed.

Bruce exchanged a meaningful glance with his eldest. Conner didn’t have a lot of contact with the rest of the Family. He talked a lot with Tim and Cass, but he had never made an effort to get to know the rest of them. He was on good terms with Alfred and the pair of them tried to bully Tim into a healthier lifestyle, but Alfred wasn’t the first person they had thought the young clone would go to in an emergency. Bruce could tell that Dick was as worried as he was that something had happened to Tim. Bruce dismissed such a thought. If Tim was in danger Conner would have gone directly to Bruce. Unless Tim was dead and Conner needed help breaking the news to the rest of Batfamily. Bruce squashed the idea before it took a solid form. Tim was fine. Bruce had talked to him just that morning.

It was about another hour before Conner emerged from the room. As on edge as the whole Family was, the sound of the door opening would probably startled them a bit more if they weren’t all highly trained fighters. They all stiffen up, preparing for battle. Their readiness was unnecessary. Conner shut the door behind him slowly before looking up at the assembled Batfamily. He smiled weakly at Steph and Cass. The whole Family could see that his eyes were red and puffy. Cass moved forward and kissed him on the check in comfort.

“You okay?” she asked gently.

“I’m good. I just- I have to go. I have to tell Ma.” He shook his head to clear it and gave another watery smile before leaving as fast as he could.

Bruce carefully nudged the door open. He saw Alfred sitting on one of the many overstuffed couches, staring out the window. The late afternoon sunshine filtered through the windows. Alfred had his hand pressed against his mouth, trying to hold back the tears that streamed gently down his face.

When he heard the door open, he raised his head to look at the Family, hovering just outside the door. He hurriedly wiped off some of the tears with a handkerchief he was clutching. He gave them a tired smile.

“Hello, Master Bruce. Is there something you need?”

 “Alfred? What happened?” Bruce sat next to him. His throat closed up. “Is Tim…”

“Master Timothy is fine.”

“Then what did Conner say?” Dick asked. Jason stood behind Dick, obviously ready to make Conner pay for upsetting Alfred.

“Nothing. Nothing. Everything is fine.” Alfred voice was surprisingly strong. He locked eyes with Jason until he uncrossed his arms and silently promised not to murder Conner.

“But-“

“Master Conner entrusted me with some very important news. I’ll admit to being shocked, but it really is good news,” he gave them a soft smile. “I just find myself utterly unprepared for it.”

“Everyone’s okay then?” Bruce inquired.

“Everyone is in good health. I, however, find myself getting old.”

“Old?”

“Yes, Master Bruce. Old. You will agree with me in time.” Alfred sighed and looked back out the window. “There is nothing more happy and more sad than growing old with the people you love. Now if you’ll excuse me, I really must start dinner.”

“Alfred-“

“Master Bruce. We shall be eating late enough as is.”

With that he rose and left the bewildered family behind.

 

________________________

 

“FAMILY MEETING TIME! IT’S FAMILY MEETING TIME!”

Dick’s shout rang through the house, accompanied by an enthusiastic Steph banging a pot with a wooden spoon. She had, of course, brought her own pot. She wouldn’t dare use one of Alfred’s. She had painted the pot purple with glitter and named it the Summoning Pot. She liked to use it to make announcements or scare Damian when he was half asleep.

“Jason, I see you. Don’t you dare try to run- stop flipping me off. Asshole.” Dick continued the systematic rounding up of his sibling. He shouted down into the Cave, “BRUCE! UP HERE NOW!”

Dick made his way through the Manor. He stopped outside Tim’s door and knocked. Years of experience told him that Tim would not take kindly to him bursting in. It had only taken him about four electrical shocks, two broken noses, and a couple of chemical burns to learn. He waited for Tim’s acknowledgment before flinging open the door.

Tim was sitting at his desk, talking on the phone. He nodded at Dick.

“Yeah, Dick’s here. I got to go,” a huge smile crossed Tim’s face and he bit his lip stifle it. “Yep. I’ll see you in… I don’t know.  Twenty minutes? Okay, thanks. Bye.”

He set down the phone and leaned back in his chair to look at Dick. The ghost of a smile still lingered on his face.

“What’s up?” Tim asked.

“Family meeting time. You ready?”

“Yeah. I’m all packed and everything.”

Tim had requested a vacation and the whole family had jumped at the idea. He had been far too stressed for the past year and some time off would do him good. He had asked for two weeks, but Bruce had offered to cover him for at least a month. Bruce and Tam could handle WE stuff and the rest of the Family had volunteered to take turns covering his patrol routes. Tim had happily accepted.

Now he and Dick strolled down to meet with the rest of the Family for the Family Meeting. It had been several weeks since the Family had found Alfred and most of the Family had put it out of their minds. Bruce kept a close eye on Alfred to ensure he was all right, but other than that, the Family had gone back to normal. Well, as normal as a family of vigilantes could get.

“Bruce, you’re two minutes and forty-seven seconds late,” Dick said as he sauntered into the room where the Family had gathered.

“You’re here last. As long as I get here before you, I can’t be counted as late,” countered Bruce. “This was discussed in the last Family Meeting.”

“Oh. Right. Anyway, who wants to read today’s topics?” Dick stared beseechingly at Damian in the hopes he would volunteer. Damian knew this and refused to make eye contact.

“I’ll do it!” Steph chirped, reaching to forwards to grab the list of topics.

The Family Meetings were held at least once a week. There was a drop box where anyone could write a topic they wanted to discuss, such as issues with patrol or someone eating the last cookie. It was a chance for the Family to air their grievances. It was also a chance for some massive acts of passive aggressiveness.

“First up: _Tim, if you don’t stop leaving your coffee cups around the cave, I’m going to stab you._ ” Steph read the paper in a cheery voice that was at odds with her violent message.

“I promise not to leave any coffee cups around for a whole month,” Tim promised.

“Which is exactly the time you’ll be gone,” Jason noted.

“So? No coffee cups, no problem. Next one’s for you, Dick. It doesn't say your name, but I can tell. _Whoever keeps eating all the cereal_ \- passive aggressive, I like it- _you will cease this action if you want to keep your jaw intact._ ”

Bruce leveled a stare at his youngest. “Damian, don’t threaten your brothers.”

“Father! That tip was anonymous, you have no idea who wrote it.” Damian crossed his arms. “Besides, you didn’t chastise Brown for her threat.”

“Actually, it was me who threatened to stab Tim, so checkmate, brat.” Jason stretched his arms above his head and gave a mocking grin to Damian.

Damian growled at him and curled his fingers like he wanted to grab his katana, but he stayed silent.

“Jason, don’t call your brother a brat. Damian, I’m the world’s greatest detective. It wasn’t that hard,” Bruce hard stare switched from his youngest to his eldest. “However, Dick, you do need to eat something other than cereal. Leave some for the others.” 

They went through some other minor issues and covered Tim’s patrols and some of his more difficult cases. Light-hearted banter was interspersed with familiar insults. Bruce was found guilty of four nights in a row without sleep and was sentenced to a Family Movie Night where Dick got to choose the movie. Barbara asked (ordered) Jason to stop leaving his guns out. He promised to do so in exchange for three embarrassing pictures of Dick. Bruce tried to stop him but Babs had already agreed. The meeting was one of their more calm. Right up until the very end.

“So that concludes our Family Meeting. Anything else before we end?” Dick asked.

Tim stopped playing on his phone and rose from his seat on the couch.

“Yeah, there are a couple of things you should know before I go on vacation.” Tim smiled nervously. Bruce frowned. While Tim being anxious was far from rare, showing it in front of the whole family was something else. Tim was almost always in control. He racked his mind for something that could have caused this sudden anxiety.

“So,” Tim continued “as some of you may have guessed, I’m not straight. I’m bisexual.”

Tim paused and smiled as he saw money change hands.

“What less of you know is that for the past year I’ve been dating Conner.”

“What.” Bruce must have misheard Tim. It almost sounded like he said-

“You heard me. I’ve been dating Conner.” Tim took a deep breath. “There’s something else.”

“What else is there, Tim?” Bruce struggled to control his voice. Any of his children keeping secrets felt like a betrayal, but it hurt the most coming from Tim. Tim, who used to trust him with everything, “Do you have any other secret boyfriends?”

Tim’s eyes snapped to meet Bruce’s. Bruce could see fire in his eyes and was irrationally afraid of what else Tim would say.

“Conner’s asked me to marry him.” Tim’s voice did not waver. “And I said yes.”

The clamor of voices overlapping was almost deafening.

“Tim-”

“What-”

“I refuse to allow-”

“Refuse to allow what, Bruce?” Tim snapped. “Both Conner and I are adults and you have no say in what we do. He asked, I accepted. I’m marrying Conner. Get used to it.”

“Tim, think clearly for a second-” Bruce tried to speak, but Tim interrupted him.

“I have to go. My flight leaves soon.” Tim grabbed his suitcase handle and dragged it to the door.

“Tim.” Bruce stepped forward to stop him but a hand on his shoulder made him hesitate.

“Have a lovely trip Master Timothy.” Alfred smiled at Tim. “Do give Master Conner my best.”

“I will. Thank you, Alfred. Goodbye!” Tim warmly embraced the butler before opening the front door and racing toward the waiting car. Conner could be seen sitting in the driver’s seat. Conner Kent was waiting to spirit his child far away from him. Bruce could see Conner’s face light up when he spotting Tim hurtling towards him. Bruce decided that he hated Conner with every fiber of his being.

Bruce sank into the nearest seat. Beside him, Dick looked like someone had slapped him upside the head with a fish. Jason’s was staring in open-mouthed shock at the doorway Tim had just exited through. Barbara was talking on the phone in hushed tones. Stephanie and Cass were smiling knowingly at each other.

Wait…

“Who knew?” Bruce gritted out.

“Knew what?” Steph asked, the picture of innocence.

“Knew that-” Bruce swallowed heavily. He could say it. “Knew that Tim was dating Conner.”

Dick released a high pitched wail and slumped to the side. So Dick certainly didn’t.

 “Tt. Why would I care what Drake does with the clone?” Damian was fooling no one. He was obviously just as blindsided as the rest of them. No one had thought that Conner was dating Tim.

Almost no one.

“Right.” Barbara hung up the phone. “Me, Steph, and Cass knew.”

“Why’d he tell you?” Dick whined “I’m his brother.”

Barbara threw a cold glare his way.

“And when was the last time you two talked about anything?” She stopped short of sounding accusing, but her voice was harsh all the same. “He confided in me because he needed advice and someone to help with keeping it a secret.”

Her face softened.

“If it helps, he never intended it to go this far without you knowing. He was planning on telling you before the engagement, but there wasn’t the time.”

Engagement. His son was engaged. His baby. He was only eighteen. Tim couldn’t even drink yet and he was planning to get married. Oh god.

Barbara continued, “It’s impossible to hide things from Cass and he told Steph.”

“Does anyone outside the Family know?” Bruce asked. Perhaps he could contain the situation. Then he only needed to convince Tim that what he was doing was ridiculous. Tim would understand, he was the logical child. He would then call off the engagement before he did something he'd regret forever and come home.

“Ma Kent, Lois, Jon, Cassie, Bart, Tam, Cissie, Anita, Greta , and probably more that I don’t know about.” Barbara rattled off names like she wasn’t causing Bruce’s world to collapse with every new one.

“Wait. You said that Ma, Lois, and Jon know. What about Clark?” Jason asked.

“They didn’t tell Clark and as far as I know, he hasn’t figured it out yet.” Steph said.

“Clark… He is not the most observant when it comes to romance.”  Cass remarked.

Bruce doesn’t comment. He was no better than Clark. He didn’t notice that his son had fallen in love, dated, and became engaged to someone. He didn’t notice. What kind of detective did that make him?

“What I don’t understand is why he would tell us this right before he went on vacation. I mean, it’s running away.” Jason shook his head to clear it. “It’s what I would do, tell you guys and then make a break for it. But I’ve never known him to back down from anything.”

“That’s because it’s not exactly a vacation.” Steph ducked her head. “It’s a… well, you see. Damnit Tim. It’s a kind of pre-honeymoon.”

“A what?” Bruce felt what little soul he had left leave his body.

“A pre-honeymoon. Since they won’t be getting married for a while and don’t know the next time they’ll both be able to take time off, they decided to celebrate their engagement with a vacation.” Steph won’t meet Bruce’s eyes. Cass squeezed her hand.

Just then, Barbara’s phone chimed. She discreetly checked it.

“Jason, turn on the TV,” she ordered.

He did as told and the TV showed a news station. The young, attractive woman on screen was saying something about recently receives news about a celebrity engagement. Bruce could feel a rush of panic.

“It’s just in. Timothy Drake-Wayne is engaged! The young CEO of Wayne Enterprises has recently announced his engagement on his social media accounts. Tamara Fox will be holding a press conference shortly. She released a statement that she’s waited a ‘long time to share this’ and that she wishes both Tim and his fiancée her best.” The reporter gave another toothy smile. “Since she’s speaking as his ex-fiancée, I think there might be more to this story.” The reporter winked. “Back to you Ted.”

The news went back to a story about the Riddler’s latest scheme, leaving most of the Wayne family in shock.

“Tim’s already given an interview to Lois. She’s probably submitted it by now.” Steph turned to Bruce. She looked almost pitying. “There’s no covering this up.”

Bruce knew then. Tim telling the world was his way of making sure that there was no hope of sweeping it under the carpet. He was telling Bruce that there was no changing his mind. He had told them the minute before he left so they couldn’t even try to reason with him.

His only concession seemed to be that he had told them in person, so they wouldn’t have to hear it from the news. But he was still leaving and Bruce couldn’t stop him. He was leaving with his fiancé and the news of his engagement would be plastered over every source of media for months.

Tim was declaring to the whole world of his intention to marry Conner. The ball had started rolling and nothing Bruce could do would stop it.

Bruce put his head in his hands. He had watched Tim run to Conner’s car and shove his luggage in before kissing him passionately. He had seen Tim charge headfirst into the car, into his new life.

Tim hadn't looked back.

 

 

 


	2. We'll Aways Have Paris

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim and Conner hightail it out of Gotham after telling Bruce about their engagement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long! This is a long chapter and I'm sorry. It kind of got away from me. Thank you all so much for your patience! Warning: This chapter is sappy. Just let me get it out of my system, I'm a romantic at heart.

Conner could barely breathe.

Today was the day he and Tim got to go on vacation, got to spend a whole month together, and travel Europe, going wherever they wanted. Today was the day Tim told the entire Batfamily that they were engaged.

Engaged.

Conner still couldn’t believe it. Every five minutes, he would glance down just to make sure there was a ring on his finger and he hadn’t hallucinated the whole thing. Every time, he was greeted by the shiny golden band on his ring finger.

Tim couldn’t wear his ring yet, but Conner knew that it was always on him. Rather than wear it on his hand, where Bruce or Vicki Vale could see it, Tim had strung the ring on a necklace to wear under his clothes. _So it will be next to my heart_ , he told Conner. Conner had called him a sap and proceeded to kiss him like his life depended on it.

His phone rang on the way to the Manor to pick Tim up. Uptown Girl by Billy Joel, his ringtone for Tim, blared throughout the car.

He fumbled to answer it without crashing the car.

“Hello?”

_“Hi, Conner.”_

“Hey, babe. I’m on my way.”

_“You all packed?”_

“I got more than I could ever need. Ma helped me pack. Even if I did forget something, I could always just fly back and pick it up.” He turned off the highway and past the WARNING: APPROACHING GOTHAM. TURN AROUND WHILE YOU STILL CAN sign that marked the city’s limits.

_“We’re going to need to keep a low profile after this.”_

“From the media or Batman?”

_“Probably both.” Conner heard Tim grumbling through the phone. “He’s not going to be thrilled that we kept us dating from him.”_

“On a scale of _he’ll be grumpy for a week_ to _he’ll rip off my_ _face off and you’ll never find the body,_ how mad do you think he’ll be?”

 _“Batman doesn’t kill,”_ laughed Tim, mocking his pain _. “Worst case scenario, he’ll never speak to either of us again. But that’s unlikely. If he got over Jason trying to kill him, he can get over me marrying you. However, have you changed your mind about eloping? It’s not too late.”_

“You say it will be fine then ask me to elope? I’m getting mixed messages here.”

 _“Well, it would be better-”_ Tim suddenly cut himself off.

“Is it time?”

 **“** _Yeah, Dick’s here. I got to go._ **”**

“Okay. You got this. Don’t let Bruce kill you and I’ll see you in a few.” Conner took a deep breath. “You ready?”

_“Yep. I’ll see you in… I don’t know.  Twenty minutes?_

“I’ll be there.”

_“Okay, thanks.”_

“I love you.”

_“Bye.”_

Conner could hear _I love you too_ in the farewell. He knew that Tim couldn’t respond the way he wanted to when Dick was in the room. That was one of the reasons he was so glad that their charade would be over soon and he could scream his love to the rooftops.

He pulled up in front of the Wayne Manor and settle down to wait. He would get ready when he heard screaming.

He didn’t have to wait too long.

His phone pinged with updates. When he went to check it, he noticed the updates had come from Tim’s official Twitter and Instagram accounts. He clicked on them and both updates announced his and Tim’s recent engagement.

Tim had kept it vague, just something along the lines of _I’m engaged. Deal with it._ But in much nicer, more diplomatic terms. More along the lines of _I’m extremely excited to announce my engagement to the love of my life,_ but still rather abrupt. He hadn’t mentioned Conner’s name and he was extremely grateful. He didn’t want his name plastered over every tabloid and his entire life scrutinized before he left for Europe with Tim. The media could speculate all they wanted while he and his fiancé were touring ancient castles.

Speaking of his beautiful fiancé, he could see Tim running at him like all the hounds of hell were on his tail. He threw open the truck to toss his bags in before practically falling into the passenger’s seat.

Tim grabbed Conner’s face and kissed him.

“Are you ready to go?” asked Tim.

“We’re both going to die, aren’t we?”

Tim laughed breathlessly, as if he had just jumped off a cliff and wasn’t sure if he would survive the landing. But Tim would enjoy the fall right up until the very end. Tim pressed another kiss to Conner’s cheek.

“You might want to start to drive, before Bruce realizes he let me have an entire month with you.”

Conner slammed his foot on the gas and drove to the airport as fast as he could.

 

 

They had arrived at the airport at the last possible minute. Conner suspected that Tim might have used his magic millionaire powers to arrange the flight around their schedule. They held hands all throughout security, both thrilled about finally being able to show affection in public without fear of someone catching a picture. Conner could tell that a part of Tim was afraid that Bruce would stop their flight and cause a scene. Conner was more afraid that Batman would crash through the windows and straight up murder him.

He also didn’t understand why they had to take a plane when he could just fly them and complained to Tim.

“Because the paparazzi will be watching our every move and it would look suspicious if we flew to without a plane.” Tim hopped about on one foot, trying to shove his shoe back on his foot after going through the scanners. He grabbed Kon’s shoulder for balance. “Besides, there’s no way in hell I’d fly for hours over an open ocean in your arms. Where would we put our luggage? And don’t whine, I got first class seats.”

“You have a private jet. And a pilot’s license. Why didn’t we just take that?”

“Because I want to sleep.” Tim said. “Plus, Bruce can track the jet.”

Conner thought about that for a moment. The idea of Bruce, of Batman, following them to their romantic holiday was enough to shut him up.

They boarded the plane without incident. No paparazzi jumped out at them. No one had followed them. Nothing was going to go wrong.

If Conner could repeat it enough, maybe it would come true.

He was still worried about the flight. Not about crashing, he knew he would survive and likely be able to get everyone off safely. No, he was worried about sitting in a tin can for eight hours. Conner had never flown in a regular airplane before, always traveling by AirBat or by flying himself. But he knew what awaited him.

Clark had been forced to travel on a plane once for the Daily Planet. He had related the experience to Conner as one of the worst experiences of his life. Speaking as a man who got thrown into buildings on a biweekly basis, his words carried a lot of weight.

Clark had described the plane ride as a special version of hell. The food was awful, there was a baby crying the whole flight, and his seat was cramped. For a man as large as Clark, this last crime was the worst. Conner was already anticipating sitting with scrunched up legs for seven hours.

Then a flight attendant directed them to their seats and his jaw dropped. The interior of the plane was nothing like Clark had described. The seats were plush and looked more like armchairs than airplane seats. The interior was decorated with cream and gold. Everything about it screamed luxury. Rather than feeling cramped the space felt cozy. The magic of money.

“Do you want the window seat?”

Conner snapped out of his thoughts. “You can have it. It’s not like I’ll miss the view.”

Tim smiled at him and slipped into the window seat. Conner sat next to him and continued staring at their surroundings.

“What?”

“This isn’t at all what I expected,” Conner said.

“You should stop relying on Clark for information. Just because he hates planes doesn’t mean they can’t be nice.”

“I’m fairly certain you would be complaining even more than Clark if we were flying anything other than first class.”

Tim made a scoffing sound but otherwise didn’t argue. He just pulled out a thick blanket and wrapped himself in a cocoon.

Conner smiled down at his burrito boyfriend- fiancé. His burrito fiancé. He loved being able to say that. “You’re going to be asleep before we’re even in the air, aren’t you?”

Tim only hummed in return, already drifting off to sleep.

 

 

Their flight was uneventful and fairly boring, but Conner had hundreds of movies to choose from to keep him entertained. They landed in Paris, France while it was dark, but the city was still very much awake. A discreet black car was waiting for them at the airport to drive them to the hotel Tim had booked.

By the time the arrived at _Le Meurice,_ Conner was exhausted. Although it was two in the morning in Paris, Conner was still operating on Gotham time and was ready to turn in, despite it only being around eight pm.

He wasn’t so tired that he couldn’t admire his surroundings. The hotel was right across from the Tuileries Garden and Conner could see the Eiffel Tower lit up in the distance. Tim was still in a sleepy daze, but managed to check them both in. Conner felt a bit out of place, considering how beautiful the hotel was and how sloppy he and Tim were dressed.

Their suite was at the very top of the hotel. When he and Tim arrived at the suite, Tim collapsed face first into the king-sized and went right back to sleep.

Conner took a moment to admire his fiancé before trying to find the bathroom. It was separated from the bedroom by a changing area and when Conner walked through the door, his jaw dropped. He could see why Tim had picked this place. There was an honest to god marble jacuzzi. The jacuzzi was pushed out of the room a bit, surrounded on three sides by windows, allowing the bather to overlook Paris while soaking in heaven. Conner made a note to take advantage of this feature as much as possible.

As much as Conner wanted to use the Jacuzzi, he decided to use the large walk-in shower. He really just wanted to be clean. He showered quickly, brushed his teeth, and went to wake up Tim.

“Tim.”

“Ugggghh.”

“Wake up. You need a shower before you can sleep.”

Tim muttered something that sounded suspiciously like “piss off” but managed to rouse himself enough to stumble off in the direction of the bathroom.

Conner turned his attention to the bed.

It was a royal affair, a dark blue canopy draped above the bed on the wall. The giant bed that was almost as soft as Tim’s bed in Gotham. But perhaps he only considered Tim’s bed to be superior because of how much time he had spent there.

He was making himself comfortable when Tim came shuffling back in, his hair still wet from the shower. Tim flopped into bed next to him and snuggled as close as he could.

“Goodnight, love.” Tim murmured into his fiancé’s hair.

Conner hummed in contentment and drifted off to sleep.

 

 

Conner woke up to the sounds of Paris floating up to the suite. He opened his eyes to see Tim still fast asleep next to him and smiled. He couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life waking up like this.

He grabbed his phone from the bedside and snapped a quick picture of Tim. He always loved the moments when Tim was comfortable enough to let down his guard. Tim was smiling softly in his sleep and it took a great deal of Conner’s willpower not to coo at him.

He instead got out of bed and moved to the window to admire the view of Paris.

Although he had left America before, it had always been for work and he’d never gone sightseeing. He had a list of places he wanted to see before they left Paris, but first he wanted to try the French foods. Not like escargot. He shuddered at the thought. No, more like pastries and crepes and baguettes. He wanted to eat as much as he could before he left France.

He and Tim hadn’t really planned much for what would happen after Paris. They choose the City of Love for their starting point, but they deliberately hadn’t decided where they’d go next. It would make it more of an adventure.

And it would prevent anyone from predict their next location.

Conner was broken out of his musings when he felt warm arms encircle his waist.             

“Morning.”

“Mlrfig.”

“Still not awake?”

Tim didn’t reply, he just tightened his hug and buried his face between Conner’s shoulder blades. It took a few more minutes for him to wake up properly.

“You left,” he pouted “I was cold.”

As much as Tim could protest that he would never pout, anyone who woke him up knew differently. He was rumpled from sleep, his shirt falling off one shoulder and his hair was a mess. Conner loved Tim’s hair in the mornings.  Before he brushed it and smoothed it down, it stuck up in every direction. He looked a bit like a dandelion and Conner adored it. Not that he would every tell Tim that.

“I’m sorry.”

“You should be.” Tim moved to stand by his side but kept his arms around Conner’s waist. “But you’re forgiven.”

They shared a kiss in the morning light.

“Do you want to order hideously expensive room service or go find breakfast somewhere else?” Tim asked.

“As good as the room service is sure to be, I thought we could buy as pastries from every bakery we find so no one questions how much I eat.”

“That sounds brilliant.”

 

 

They wandered the Tuileries Gardens hand in hand and stuffed themselves on crepes from the vendors in the park. Tim got Nutella and strawberries, Conner had a Nutella and banana and they traded bites. Conner watched Tim order everything in flawless French, sounding for all the word like a native.

“I’m glad I have my own private translator with me. Is there any language you don’t speak?”

“Years of tutoring finally pay off.” Tim let go of his hand to dart around a group of slow tourists. “And there are thousands of languages on Earth alone.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

Tim hummed in response and tugged him along, weaving through crowds and led the way to the Louvre.

They arrived at the famous museum just as the morning crowds started to show up.

The contrast of the glass pyramid compared to the old palace that housed the museum was a bit of a shock. The meeting of old and new was everywhere in Paris, but it seemed almost as if the past and the present had merged somehow. Here it was impossible to ignore that two very different points in time shared the same location.

Tourist were everywhere, snapping photos and clustering around each other. Conner was fairly certain he saw a pickpocket rob a sweaty American tourist, but since he had overheard the man complaining and swearing about everything from the food to the other tourists in a loud, nasal voice, Conner elected to ignore it.

He instead focused his attention on his beautiful fiancé, who had taken his camera out to take pictures of everything he could see. When Tim noticed him staring, he swung the camera around to take a picture of Conner.

Conner took out his phone and repaid the favor. He might not be an expert photographer like Tim, but he was still decent.

And Tim was a very good model.

Tim had purchased their passes ahead of time, so they moved through the line quickly. They entered a wide-open room with a huge ceiling that had signs leading to different wings of the museum. Many tourists shuffled around the room, pushing into one another. Tour guides held umbrellas aloft, reciting facts about the museum in every language under the sun. The constant chatter of voices filled the air.

“What do you want to see first?” asked Tim.

“We have to see _the Mona Lisa_ , that’s not negotiable. And I want to see the Venus de Milo, but other than that, anything.”

“Let’s start with _the Mona Lisa_. I want to see Hammurabi’s Law Code, _the Coronation of Napoleon_ , and the Egyptian artifacts.”

 

 

They passed _the Winged Victory_ on the way to _the Mona Lisa_. The massive marble statue overlooked the stairway. The goddess of victory seemed to be striding forward, leading the way into battle. Even though she didn’t have a head or arms, Conner got the impression of regal determination. Since the staircase was mostly empty, Tim took a moment to take a picture of the statue.

“I wonder if she’s lonely.”

Conner stopped reading the information plaque and turned to Tim. “What makes you say that?”

“I don’t know. She just… she’s quiet.”

Conner gazed up at the statue.

Tim sometimes seemed like he could see straight into the soul. It didn’t matter if it was a statue or a passerby on the street, Tim appeared to read the hearts of those around him. He would sometimes comment to Conner, but it was more common for Conner to see emotions flit across Tim’s face when he saw someone who looked fine to Conner, but Tim could tell was upset or angry or heartbroken. Conner wondered if it was a side effect of his detective skills or if it was a Tim thing.

And looking around, he thought that Tim might be right. Millions of people visit the Louvre every year and many of them walk through the marble stairway. But they would just rush passed the _Victory_ on their way to the _Mona Lisa._

“I don’t know. I think she should be proud. She’s outlived the people who made her, the civilization that shaped her, and countless others. She might have lost her head and arms, but she’s still standing. People still come from all corners of the world to admire her.” Conner looked at the statue and imagined her, standing at the prow of her ship, overlooking the mortals who came to gaze upon her. “She’s survived. So, she should be proud.”

Tim looked at him, head tilted to the side, a little smile playing at his lips. “I like that.” Tim glanced back to study the statue again. “I hope she’s happy.”

Conner took his hand and together they walked on.

 

The _Mona Lisa_ was smaller than Conner expected.

A crowd of sweaty tourists pressed against the barrier that separated the _Mona Lisa_ from the hoard of people. They were all elbowing each other, trying to take a less blurry photo of one of the most famous paintings in the world.

“What are the odds that someone tries to steal it while we’re here?” Conner murmured in Tim’s ear.

“Don’t you dare jinx us. We are here for fun and I’ll punch whoever tries to interrupt this.”

“You’re cute when you’re threatening violence.”

“Darling, I’m adorable.”

Tim took a picture of the crowd around the _Mona Lisa._ When Conner shot him a questioning glance he explained his reasoning. “How many people take a picture of the _Mona Lisa_? I want to photograph things most people either don’t or won’t. And if I want a good picture of the _Mona Lisa,_ I’d buy a postcard. And I will buy a postcard.”

They spent the day wandering around the Louvre, stopping to point out painting and statues they liked or thought looked funny.

One of Conner’s favorite paintings that they stumbled upon was titled _Saint Francis Receiving the Stigmata_ by an Italian painter named Giotto. Conner thought a better title would be _Turkey Jesus Angers Bald Guy._ Something about Saint Francis’s grumpy expression made the painting turn from a serious moment to a humorous one, albeit accidentally. He just looked so annoyed that the Jesus in the painting was bothering him, rather than humbled or blessed. At the bottom of the painting there were what was supposed to be scenes from Saint Francis’s life. In the bottom right corner, it looked like Saint Francis was yelling at some birds. In the bottom left corner, he was depicted stealing a building. Conner loved art.

 

 

They couldn’t see all the art. Although they spent hours in the Louvre, they didn’t even see most of it. The museum was just too big to cover in a week, let alone a day. They stayed until late afternoon before making their way back to the hotel.

“Do you want to try and find a restaurant for dinner, pick up something, or order room service?” Tim asked as they walked back.

“I’m not a caviar-and-duck kind of guy, so I say we order a pizza. Wait, can you get pizza in Paris?”

“When Elizabeth Taylor was filming _Cleopatra,_ she had chili flown from Los Angeles to Italy. If you really wanted pizza, it wouldn’t matter if there wasn’t pizza in all of France. I’d get it for you. But I think we can find someplace that sells pizza locally.”

Conner squeezed his hand and looked over at Tim to admire the faint blush that dusted his cheeks. “What about dessert?”

“I say we trust the hotel to pick some champagne. I don’t know anything about wine or champagne, so unless you want to risk it, I say we trust the experts. There’s also a chocolate shop near our hotel.”

“I want to pick some chocolate up for Ma and Lois. I wouldn’t mind some chocolate either.”

“Sounds good.”

They made a slight detour to stop at the chocolate shop that was about ten minutes from their hotel. The name _Michel Cluizel_ was on the outside of the shop, so Conner guessed that was the name of the store.

It was a small store, but the moment they walked in, the heavenly smell of chocolate surrounded them. A large display housed little chocolate candies and macarons. There were bars of chocolate on the walls and boxes stuffed with bonbons. Conner could feel a sugar rush just standing in the store.

“Where do you want to start?” Tim asked.

“I have no idea.”

“Can you pick something out for Ma, Lois, and Cassie? Just get whatever, don’t worry about the cost.” Tim turned to the counter and started to order from the display.

“I want something with caramel.”

“I know. Those over there-” Tim pointed to little dark chocolate rectangles “-are sea salt caramel. I’m getting at least ten. Anything else?”

“Macarons?”

“Conner, we’re in Paris. I’m not leaving without trying macarons. And I’ll get at least one of every color.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

In the end, they spent far too much money. Tim had found crystalized oranges dipped in chocolate and Conner had to physically restrain him from buying the store’s entire stock. He had found pretty chocolate with rose flavor for Cassie and some that Tim said had alcohol in it for Lois. Since he didn’t really know what kind of chocolate she liked he bought a sample box for Ma. Tim had bought coffee chocolate for both himself and Tam.

Tim ordered the pizza while Conner guided him back to the hotel. Tim wasn’t great about paying attention while he was on the phone and allowed Conner to tug him out of the path of traffic without complaint. He made another call to get room service to send up champagne. The exchange was all in French, so Conner couldn’t understand a word.

They arrived at the hotel just as the sun set, turning the whole city shades of pink and orange. Music from street performers drifted over to where they were walking. It felt almost like a scene from a movie. It felt almost to perfect.

He was almost afraid to blink, worried that it might all be a dream and that he’d wake up in his bed in Smallville, alone.

But Tim hung up his phone and turned to grin at him before pressing a kiss to his lips and Conner knew it couldn’t be a dream.

He doubted even he could dream up anything so perfect.

 

 

When they reached their hotel room, Conner immediately made his way to the master bedroom and flopped on the bed. His feet were so sore from walking all day that the idea of getting up for anything was ridiculous.

Then his stomach growled.

Anything but pizza he amended.

He could feel the bed sink slightly when Tim sat next to him, but he didn’t turn his head to look.

“Are you that tired?” Tim ran his fingers through Conner’s hair and he had to bite his tongue to keep from sighing contentedly.

“I’m exhausted, but I’m more hungry than tired. When does the food get here?”

“It’s already on the terrace.”

“Terrace?”

Tim gently pulled him up from the bed and led him through the suite. They passed several guestrooms and an elegant living room before Tim opened a door to the terrace.

The terrace was almost as large as the whole suite. But that wasn’t what made Conner’s breath disappear.

The entire city of Paris surrounded him.

He could see everything, even without his enhanced eyesight. The Eiffel Tower wasn’t yet lit up as the sun was still setting. However, it still rose up above, like a regal giant. He could see the Louvre and Tuileries Gardens nearby.  Notre Dame in the distance stood tall and proud. He spotted some other buildings that looked important, but he couldn’t recognize. The lights of the city were starting to glow in the fading light.

He drifted to the railings to stare in wonder at the city beneath him.

Conner looked back at Tim to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating and saw Tim smiling softly at him. He was standing by a table Conner hadn’t seen when they first walked out, too entranced by the view to notice anything else.

The table was sat by edge of the terrace and overlooked the Eiffel Tower. It was decorated with a vase of red roses and lit by candles. The champagne was chilling in a bucket of ice next to the pizza. The setting sun glistened off the silverware, causing them to sparkle. A romantic dinner for two.

Conner crossed to Tim and took his hands. He raised Tim’s hands to his lips and pressed a kiss to his knuckles.

“You know I’m the one who proposed to you, right? You don’t have to do all this for me.”

“I know.” The warmth in Tim’s eyes made Conner duck his head. “But I want to.”

Tim pulled away to grab a slice of pizza.

“Wait!” Conner yanked out his phone to take a picture. The dinner looked beautiful and he had promised to send pictures to Lois and thought she might appreciate the work his fiancé had put into their meal. “Is it okay if I post this?”

“Sure. I want the world how much I love you and Instagram seems like a good place as any to start.”

“Who said anything about Instagram?” Conner asked as he fell into one of the chairs.

“Do you honestly think I don’t know about you and Cassie’s little Instagram war?”

“In that case…” Conner snapped a picture of Tim, swirling his glass of champagne, the lights of Paris glittering in the background. The Eiffel Tower was just visible in the frame. He glanced at the picture, making sure it wasn’t blurry.

“Maybe don’t post them until after we’ve left Paris? I’d hate to have to cut our pre-honeymoon short due to reporters, ninjas, or Bruce.”

“Yeah, no. But the minute we leave, these and all four thousand pictures of you I’ve taken are going to posted.”

Tim let out a laugh before realizing what Conner had said. “Wait, what? What pictures?”

“Tim. Sweetie. You know I’ve been taking pictures of you since before we started dating.” He waited for Tim to nod. “I have exercised considerable restraint by not posting them on all my social media sites but now that we’re engaged, the gloves are off.”

Tim sipped his champagne, considering. “Alright. As long as I can do the same.”

“Deal.”

“But nothing too scandalous. Remember that Bruce is going to be able to see them all. And as the young CEO of Wayne Enterprises, I can’t afford to get in trouble too often.”

“So, no shirtless pictures?”

Tim kicked him under the table. “Not only that, but you’ll have to be careful that none of my second job is obvious in any of the pictures.”

It was a good point. Conner had taken several candid photos of Tim when he was at least partially in the Red Robin costume or working on cases. “I’ll be careful.”

“I trust you.”

They held hands throughout dinner. They stuffed themselves on pizza, Krug champagne, and macarons. The champagne was one of the best things Conner had ever had in his life.

They chatted about the latest _Wendy the Werewolf Stalker_ episodes and whether Cassie would have killed Bart yet. It felt nice to just catch up with each other. Tim had spent a lot of time at work the last week, so he wouldn’t have to worry while on vacation. He told Conner about the new batch of R &D interns and how one of them had already set the lab on fire, despite not being there for even a full week.

They talked well past the sunset and when the stars came out, Conner offered his hand to Tim.

Tim took his hand and Conner tugged him out of his seat to spin him around. Conner pulled Tim close to him before beginning to dance. They waltzed underneath the stars, swaying gently in the cool night air. Conner wasn’t as good a dancer as Tim, who had grown up on galas and parties, but he managed to hold his own.

They spun around in circles until they both seemed to simultaneously stop.

Tim let go of his hand to rest both of his hands on Conner’s shoulders. Conner used his free hand to pull Tim even closer before settling his hands on Tim’s waist.

For a moment they just stood there, gazing into each other’s eyes.

“I love you.”

Conner wasn’t sure which one of them said it first. They had both spoken so close together that their words overlapped each other.

He reached up to cup Tim’s face. He leaned forward until their noses almost touched.

“I can’t wait to marry you.”

Tim didn’t bother to answer verbally. He simply closed the tiny gap between their lips and kissed him.

When they finally broke the kiss, they were both breathing hard.

“So… What now?” Conner asked.

“Hmm. Well, I did notice your interest in the Jacuzzi last night.” Tim mused. He suddenly grinned, almost shark like in its sharpness. “What to test it out with me?”

Now it was Conner’s turn to answer silently. He scooped a laughing Tim up in his arms and carried him into the bathroom, kissing him all the while.

 

 

Later that night they cuddled in the massive bed. Tim’s hair was once again a mess and he had stolen one of Conner’s sleepshirts. Conner thought that there had never been a more attractive sight. Tim was playing a game on his phone that involved a great deal of focus, judging from the adorable furrow between his eyes.

He was staring at Tim when Tim’s phone rang, which startled Tim so much that he nearly dropped his phone.

_Tam is calling… Tam is calling… Tam is calling…_

“Ugh.” Tim glanced over at Conner before answering the call. Tam’s face popped up on the screen. Conner was suddenly very glad that Tim was wearing a shirt. He didn’t want to deal with Tam’s teasing.

“Evening, lovebirds.”

Tamara Fox looked impeccable as always. Dressed in a plum colored suit, she was a stark difference to the rumpled pair lounging in bed. She looked flawless, but Conner had seen her and Tim at two in the morning poring over contracts and taxes. He knew she was just as capable of stabbing him with a high heel as anyone else.

“Good evening, Tam.” Conner waved at her. Tim tilted his phone, so Tam could see him.

“Hi Conner!”

“Why are you calling at night?” Tim asked grumpily. Conner wrapped an arm around him and rested his head against Tim’s. It seemed to appease Tim a bit because he relaxed into Conner shoulder.

“Time zone differences, Tim. It’s almost four here. I’m holding the press conference to announce your engagement in less than an hour.”

Tim sat up a little at that. “Anything I should be worried about?”

“Bruce has been freaking out all day. He’s called me at least ten times, but he doesn’t seem to know where you went. You should thank Ms. Gordon for that. Oh, and the press is having a field day.”  

“I bet.” Tim grimaced.

“So far, every newspaper and tabloid has announced your engagement, but they’re not sure who you’re marrying. Everyone has their guesses. I’m a popular bet,” Tam smirked.      “I’ve also heard that you’re marry Stephanie, Barbara, Cass, Cissie, Greta, Donna, Cassie, and Ariana Dzerchenko.”

“So basically, every female whose been within ten feet of Tim,” sighed Conner.

“I’m still hung up on the fact that they think I’m marrying Cass. _My sister_.”

“I never said that it was published by a reputable source.”

“I bet Vicki Vale is having the time of her life.” Tim ran a hand down his face.

“She hasn’t published anything yet. Probably too afraid to seem like she’s publishing false information again.”

“Well, that’s one thing.” Conner shifted so he could pull Tim closer to him. “Did any newspaper get close?”

“The _Smallville Ledger_ announced you and Tim’s engagement, but it was a small piece about how one of the Kents is getting married, rather than how a billionaire is getting married.”

“I like that. It sounds normal.” Tim rested his head against Conner’s shoulder. “What about Lois?”

“She’s submitted her story, it’ll be released tomorrow.”

“Good.”

“Conner. Enjoy your last night of anonymity.” Tam stared into his eyes. “You are both going to have to be careful. Don’t do anything stupid, keep your heads down.”

“We will.”

“The last thing you two need is an international incident.”

“Tam, I’m not Brucie. I won’t do anything too embarrassing.”

“Except make out with me in public.” Conner chimed in. Tim swatted him.

“I’ll handle things on our end, you guys just have fun. Send me pictures when you can, it’ll help keep the media happy.” Tam smiled. “Stay safe.”

They said goodbye to Tam and hung up.

Conner hugged Tim close.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow he would likely be on major news networks. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been on the news before, but that was always as Superboy. Never as Conner Kent. Everyone would be judging his life. And his Instagram account.

Oh god. He hoped that the news wouldn’t use the shirtless selfies he’d taken when they splashed his picture all over the TV. Not that he looked bad. He knew he was hot and he looked good with his shirt off, Tim’s blushes were enough proof for him, but he didn’t want people to think that he was one of those shallow idiots who only cared about muscles…

“Hey.” Tim flicked him on the forehead. “You’re thinking too loud.”

“That’s my line.”

“What’s up?”

“Just worried.”

“About?”

“I don’t want… I don’t want people bothering Ma or Cassie.”

“What?”

“I love attention. You know this. But I don’t want reporters to go after Ma or Cassie because I’m marrying a rich guy.”

Tim nodded slowly. “Going after Ma and Cassie does make sense. Your mother and ex-girlfriend are both likely to have dirt on you. They might think that Cassie will be bitter and willing to spill something on you. I’ll call them both and tell them to be careful, but I don’t think they’re in any danger.”

“I just… I want people to think I’m good enough for you.” Tim was running WE, planning charity events, attending college, and designing products in R&D. He was a one-man army. That’s without the public knowing about Red Robin. Conner was honestly shocked Tim had time to breath.

“You are too good for me. And after Tam and Wayne PR team is done, everyone is going to be jealous that I got the most amazing man in the world.” Tim leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Conner leaned over to shut of the light, plunging the room in darkness. He could feel Tim shifting next to him, trying his best to steal all the blankets.

Conner sent a silent thanks to Tam and hoped that she could handle the media vultures. Because no matter what the anyone said or thought, he would be marrying Tim.

He drifted off to sleep, content in the knowledge that he would wake up next to the love of his life.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The hotel Tim and Conner stayed at is a real place. I've never been there, but it looked stunning. It's called the Belle Etoile Suite. I posted a link to the website and a video of the room down below for reference. Video quality isn't the best, but it really helped me see the layout. The chocolate shop is real too! I found it when I was playing around on Google Maps. 
> 
> Shout out to the guest and tomato_carnage who spotting my typo in the last chapter! I fixed it. Thanks for help and I'm sorry, I was sleep deprived. If you see any errors, feel free to correct me. I'm new at this and fragile so please be nice but do tell me if I'm doing something wrong!
> 
> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos make fuel me and I read every one of them.
> 
> Next Chapter: Tam holds the press conference and all hell breaks loose. 
> 
> Website: https://www.dorchestercollection.com/en/paris/le-meurice/rooms-suites/belle-etoile-suite/  
> Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJKM4IEdvtc


	3. Tam Fox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tam faces off the press for Tim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Adelia Bailey is a random OC I made up. She doesn't exist in DC, I just needed someone to help Tam handle the press and she was created to fill that void. She wouldn't affect the plot overall and is a very minor character. Just thought I'd mention it!

 

When Tamara said her goodbyes to Tim and Conner she really hoped they couldn’t tell what a shitstorm everything had turned into.

Tam could already hear the clamor of reporters through the wall. She sank against the wall she was leaning on until she was crouching uncomfortably in her heels.

Tam breathed heavily through her nose. As happy as she was for Tim, the problems he managed to create were incredible.

She hadn’t been lying when she said that Bruce had called her ten times. And her own father was constantly messaging her, trying to figure out if the “rumors” of Tim’s engagement had any merit. Not to mention, every news station had been calling to harass the Wayne’s PR team.

Despite the fact that Tim himself had announced his engagement on his social media accounts, the PR team and WE employees were still operating under a strict no comment rule. No one want to piss off the Public Relations department. She knew that Tim’s personal PR team had been working for weeks to set everything up perfectly and was almost certain they were planning a mutiny. She made a note to send them a fruit basket or something.

Tim and his PR team had a love-hate relationship. Out of all the Waynes, he was least likely to do something stupid in public. He didn’t jump off balconies and swing from chandeliers, he didn’t get drunk in public, and he hadn’t adopted a bunch of orphans without notice (yet). He didn’t do anything most rich, young men his age did. No drugs, drinking, or going to strip clubs. So, in theory he was a PR dream. But in reality, he was a hot mess who was likely to tell reporters to fuck off if he hadn’t gotten coffee yet. Before he became CEO and he was just Timothy Drake-Wayne, he was discreet, and all the PR team had to do was dispel the rumors, give an official statement, and possibly sue for libel. Now he made them work for their money.

She wasn’t sure exactly what was causing the media craze. Tam could barely walk down the street without overhearing people discussing the engagement. It was all anyone could talk about.

It wasn’t just that Tim was a Wayne, because at this point there were too many Waynes to count. It wasn’t the fact that he had been “engaged” before, because the tabloids frequently ran stories about who was secretly marrying who.

Perhaps it was because it was Tim, who was Gotham born and bred. Perhaps it was because he was the youngest billionaire. Perhaps it was the fact that no one seemed to know who the mystery fiancé was.   

But whatever the reason, the masses had gobbled down the story.

People had placed bets about who he was marrying, when they’d get married, or if it was all a well-planned hoax. Conspiracy theories being tossed around everywhere. Tam’s favorite theory was that Tim was marrying a shapeshifting lizard person who was going to help him take over much of North America. She had cut that one out of the tabloid and framed it.

She heard the door raddle slightly and tensed. If it was a wayward reporter who had gotten “lost” she was going to throw her purse at their head.

“Tamara?” Adelia Bailey’s head popped into the room. Tam sighed in relief. Adelia was the head of both Tim and Tam’s PR team and in charge of making sure the press conference would go smoothly. Tall, auburn haired, and meticulous, Adelia was both a good friend and excellent coworker.  “Are you ready?”

“Just… just give me a minute.”

Adelia’s face softened slightly. “Everything is going to be fine.”

“I know.” Tam bit her lip. “I just want it to be perfect.”

“Honey, nothing in life ever is.”

Tam could only nod and allowed Adelia to pull her to her feet.

“Now, come on. We have the honor to introduce the press to the world’s sweetest, dorkiest couple and it won’t do to keep the press waiting.” Adelia wrapped an arm around Tam’s shoulders and guided her towards the door. “My team has already handed out the media kits, so I’ll just introduce myself, confirm that’s our Tim somehow tricked someone into marrying him, and hand it over to you.”

They made their way to the next room, where the conference was being held. Tam scanned the lines of chairs that held the reporters, noting Vicki Vale in the second row. Tam smiled bitterly. Normally, Vale would have shoved her was to the front, but both her reputation and her pride had taken a hit after the Red Robin fiasco.

Tam continued surveying the room before she recognized another familiar face.

“Fuck.”

Adelia leaned down. “What do you see?” Adelia’s eyes swept through the room, searching for whatever had caused Tam’s distress. She could and would kick out whoever she needed to keep order and protect her charges.

“Clark Kent.”

Adelia eyed Tam, confusion written across her face. “He’s a very good reporter. He’s worked with the Waynes for years and-”

“And he’s Conner’s cousin.” Tam interrupted.

“Oh, fuck,” Adelia echoed. “But he knows, right?”

Tam shrugged her shoulders helplessly. Lois might have told him, but she wasn’t sure.

Adelia squared her shoulders. “We’ll make it work.”

Adelia strode into the room, the press settling into silence as she approached the podium.

“Thank you for coming. I’ll try to keep this brief. Please hold all questions until the end.” Adelia rested her hands on the podium, any traces of anxiety had been erased, leaving her looking completely at ease. Tam envied her unflappable nature. “We’re here to confirm Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne recent engagement.”

The crowd of reporters all started to murmur to each other in excitement. Tam was watching Clark’s face closely. He seemed confused and Tam’s stomach filled with dread. Lois hadn’t told him.

“We don’t want any misinformation to be spread and as such, we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have, _at the end_.” Adelia reiterated. “I hope you will are be respectful of both Timothy and his fiancé’s privacy. Since I lost our bet, Tamara Fox will be the one to tell you more.”

Tam took a deep breath before schooling her face into a pleasant smile. She deliberately didn’t make eye contact with Clark.

“Again, thank you all for being here. This isn’t my first time announcing Tim’s engagement, but it is the first time I can tell the truth.” She got a couple chuckles from the reporters who remembered her lie about being engaged to Tim. “I am happy to announce Tim’s engagement to his long-time best friend and love of his life, Conner Kent.”

The uproar was instantaneous. Tam guessed it did make sense. While everyone had their theories about the engagement, Conner was a real dark horse. Vale had whipped out her pen and was probably already drafting her article. The reporters were conversing among themselves and Tam swore she saw money change hands. Tam darted her eyes over to where Clark was sitting. He looked as if someone had smacked him with a raw fish.  

Tam waited for the reporters to settle a bit before continuing. “Tim and Conner have been engaged for three weeks now and left Gotham yesterday to celebrate their engagement overseas. Currently, there is no date for the wedding. They’ve known each other for several years and started dating after Tim’s return from Europe, when he took up the mantle of CEO. Conner is one of the most amazing people I’ve had the honor the honor of meeting. He and Tim are a wonderful couple and I was delighted to hear of their engagement.”

She braced herself. “I’ll be taking questions now.”

Almost every hand shot up. Adelia call on a man with obviously fake blonde hair and far too white teeth. “Does this mean that Timothy is gay now?”

“Tim is bisexual. Most everyone who knows him personally is aware of this and he’s never pretended otherwise. Next, please?”

A woman in painful looking heels stood up. “Isn’t Timothy rather young to be getting married?”

“Tim has long said that if he is old enough to run a multi-billion-dollar company, he’s old enough to make his own choices.”

Tam called on an older looking gentleman. “How will this impact Wayne Enterprises?” he asked.

“Wayne Enterprises has grown substantially in the past year. This is greatly due to Tim’s hard work and perseverance. That is unlikely to change soon. While he is on vacation, he made sure to cover all his work before leaving. I’m not worried about Wayne Enterprises.”

“How long have they been dating?” another reporter asked.

“I believe they’ve know each other since they were around fifteen and have been dating for the past year.”

“What is the Wayne family’s reaction to this engagement?” Vicki Vale asked with narrowed eyes when she was called upon.

“Since many of them only found out yesterday that Tim had a boyfriend, let alone a fiancé, their reaction was understandably mixed.”

“I’m sorry, did you just say they found out yesterday?” Vale asked, incredulously.

“Yes, I did. Conner and Tim both agreed to keep it a secret at the beginning of their relationship and forgot to tell anyone. Tim told the Wayne family right before he left for his vacation.” Tam shifted slightly. “Is there any other questions?”

“Why?”

Tam winced and turned toward the sound of Clark’s voice.

“Why?” he asked again. “Why did they keep it a secret?”

“Mr. Kent.” Tam wasn’t sure what to say. She was intimately aware that she was looking Superman in the eye and he looked like he might be close to tears. “He- Well, you see, Conner… They did mean to tell you.”

Tam felt everyone’s eyes on the pair of them. Damn.  

“He’s my- I’m-” Clark let out a distressed sound.

“If it makes you feel better, Bruce didn’t know either,” she tried to reassure him.

“I’m sorry, what does Mr. Kent have to do with this?” asked a snooty sounding man in the third row.

Seeing as Clark was too distracted to reply, Tam took it upon herself. “Mr. Kent is Conner’s cousin.” She wasn’t sure exactly how clone translated to cousin, but they looked too similar for them not to be related.

Clark seemed to regain his senses for a moment. “Does Lois know?” He looked straight at Tam, as if dreading the answer. 

Tam debated not answering or perhaps lying, but she decided to tell the truth. “Yes. She’s probably drafting an article about it as we speak. Tim gave her permission before he left.”

Clark let out a long breath before putting his head in his hands.

“Um. If there are no more questions, then that is all. Thank you for coming.” Tam slipped off the podium as the room once more erupted into chaos.

 

 

When Adelia found Tam, she was sitting in her office with her head between her knees, her shoes set next to her. Adelia kicked off her own heels and sat next to Tam.

“Well, that could have gone better,” she said lightly.

“It was horrible. I’m never going to able to look Mr. Kent in the face,” Tam mumbled into her knees.

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“I should have known he would be there. God, I should have had a plan.”

“What’s done is done,” Adelia said firmly. “Everyone there is going to have a story to write and will bother the Waynes about Timothy’s secret fiancé and leave us alone. We’ll come up with a way to make Conner appear the perfect young man.”

Tam lifted her head slightly. “Shouldn’t be too hard. Conner’s kind of amazing.”

“And he’s sweet, ridiculously attractive, and has an adorable dog.”

“The dog is a big selling point,” Tam admitted. Krypto was a huge cutie and Tam had fallen in love the moment she saw him.

“Right.” Adelia smiled at her. “We got the easy job of making the world love him and Tim. But we should definitely order pizza on Tim.”

That got a real smile from Tam.

Then her father and Bruce Wayne opened the door.

Both she and Adelia shot to their feet. Adelia seemed significantly shorter without her high heels on, but she was still taller than Tam. Not that Tam felt particularly tall. Mr. Wayne towered over both of them.

“Tamara, Ms. Bailey! How are you? Are you finished with the press conference already?” Mr. Wayne asked. She and Adelia exchanged an uneasy glance. Mr. Wayne’s smile seemed slightly off.

“Mr. Wayne.” Adelia started, before pausing to gather her thoughts. Even without knowing Mr. Wayne, Adelia could probably read his displeasure from the tightness around his eyes. He kept his smile firmly fixed in place.

“Ms. Bailey. Would you mind letting us speak to Tamara alone for a moment?” Although it was phrased as a question, it was obviously an order.

Adelia looked back at Tam to make sure she was alright before turning back to Mr. Wayne. “Of course. Please excuse me.” She quickly grabbed her shoes and marched out of the room.

The moment Adelia left the room Mr. Wayne’s mask dropped. The shift from Brucie to Batman was so sudden that Tam gulped. She was beginning to feel like a rabbit in front of a wolf. Her father’s face was blank and offered neither support nor censure.

“Tamara, where is Tim?” Mr. Wayne demanded.

Tam debated lying for a second time that day, but she decided that lying to Batman’s face was akin to a death wish. But she’ll be damned if she’d betray Tim. “As I said at the press conference, he’s overseas.”

“Where exactly-” he tried to continue but Tam cut him off.

“Mr. Wayne, I won’t tell you.” Before she had time to realized she had just interrupted _Bruce Wayne_ , she continued. “I can’t compromise an employee’s privacy like that. Tim submitted a form for time off, you signed it yourself. As he is off duty, you have no rights to his location.”

“An employee? Tim is my _son_.” Mr. Wayne’s hands clenched into fists.

“Tim is legally an adult.”

“He’s eighteen!”

“And he took over a multi-billion-dollar company at the age of seventeen. I don’t know why people only forget that when it’s convenient. He’s more mature than many people who are older than him. He has a steady income, got his GED, and he’s attending college. That's not even mentioning his nighttime duties. Are you really going to look me in the eye and tell me that he’s an irresponsible kid?”

Some of the anger left Mr. Wayne’s eyes. Behind him, her dad smiled slightly.

Seeing as Bruce didn’t immediately demand to know where Tim was again, she decided to throw him a bone. “Tim’s fine. I just talked to him an hour ago. The plane landed safely, he and Conner arrived at the hotel and spent the day sightseeing.” She tried to keep the detail’s vague to prevent the World’s Greatest Detective from learning more than she wanted him to.

“If you want, I could tell him…” she trailed off. She wasn’t sure what Mr. Wayne would want to tell Tim. She wasn’t sure if Tim would listen.  

Mr. Wayne’s looked at her gratefully. “Tell him…” He paused for a second to think. He seemed to be at war with himself, debating what would be the best course of action. “Tell him to call me. When he gets a chance. I just want to talk to him.”

“I will.”

He let out a heavy breath. “You said he’s fine?”

“He’s happier than I’ve ever seen him,” she answered honestly.

Mr. Wayne nodded determinedly. “Please let me know next time he calls.”

Tam nodded silently.

Mr. Wayne turned to leave the room.

“Mr. Wayne?”

“Yes?”

“Be careful. The reporters are probably lying in wait for you.”

He grimaced but nodded his thanks. He put his Brucie face back on and went out to greet the hoard.

Tam turned to her dad. Lucius Fox gazed at his daughter with unknown emotion in his eyes.

“I suppose this is when I get a lecture, huh?” she asked, feeling like she was ten again and her father had just caught her insulting the British ambassador.

“Why would I lecture you?”

“What?”

“Why would I lecture you? Tamara, you did brilliant.” Lucius walked over and set his hand on her shoulders. “I’m proud of you, sweetie. You didn’t let yourself be pushed around and you stood up for your friend. Tim needs friends like you.” Her dad hugged her close and she let her head fall on his shoulder. “We’ll need to talk about keeping secrets, but I understand why you did it.”

Tam just hugged him for a moment before her brain finally caught up with what happened.

“Oh my god. I just lectured _Batman_.”

She felt her dad’s rumbly laugh. “Yes, you did. He needs it sometimes. At least you didn’t slap him.”

She pulled back from the hug slightly to look at him incredulously. “Who’d slap Batman?”

“More people than you might suspect. And a once, young lady much like yourself. Stephanie, I believe her name was.”

“You’re kidding me. Steph?” She knew that Steph was a vigilante like Tim, but it was hard to picture the bubbly blonde slapping Batman. Although, now that she considers it, Steph seemed exactly like the kind of person who’d fight someone in an alley with an inflatable donut. She did seem like a viable candidate for slapping Batman.

Her dad smiled at her shock before becoming slightly more serious. “Tim is a good kid and he’ll need your support. I’m happy for him. I’m shocked that he managed to hide it for this long. But if he’s as happy as you say, then I’m happy for him.” He made a fake stern expression. “However, Tam. If you ever run off with a secret fiancé, I swear to God no matter how old you are, you’ll be grounded until you die.”

Tam laughed before burying her face in his chest. “I don’t think you have to worry about that.”

“Why don’t I take you out to lunch and you can tell me about this young man our Tim is marrying?”

“I’d like that.”

Her dad led her out the exit the Wayne and Fox families used to escape the paparazzi. They could hear Mr. Wayne giving the press a few sound bites as they walked to Lucius’s car.

“You don’t have a secret boyfriend, do you?” he asked jokingly, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

“No secret boyfriend.” She bit her lip. “No secret girlfriend either.”

Her dad glanced down at her before smiling. He kissed her on the forehead. “Good. We have enough secrets in this family. Whoever you date, I want your mother and I to meet them.”

She grinned up at her dad. “Thank you.”

“I love you, princess. Nothing will ever change that.”

 

 

 

The next evening, as she was getting ready for bed, her phone started ringing. She dropped the facemask she was applying and wiped her hands with her towel before answering.

“Hello?”

_“Hi, Tam.”_

“Tim! Weird to hear from you so soon. How is everything?”

_“Amazing. We saw the Eiffel Tower and spent the day being tourist again. I got some good pictures. We visited Versailles. Conner loved it. Unfortunately, our time is up. We decided to take the night train out of Paris and we’re just waiting for it to arrive. I got Starbucks, so I’m good.”_

“Sounds fun. Do you know where you’re heading next?”

_“Spain. I’ve always wanted to go to Barcelona. Conner thought that it looked beautiful and since it was close, we’ll visit it next. We didn’t get to do everything in Paris, but we’ve promised to come back.”_

“Do you have a hotel picked out?”

 _“I figured I’d find something on the train.”_ The rumble of trains echoed through the phone.

“How’s Conner doing?” she asked as she started to reapply her facemask.

 _“He’s sleeping on my shoulder. He’s exhausted. Not that I blame him, I’m ready to collapse.”_ Tam could hear Tim stifle a yawn.

“Tell you what. Why don’t I find you guys a hotel and text you the details? You just get some sleep.”

_“Tam, I love you.”_

“Oh, hush. Send me the pictures from Paris when you get a chance.”

_“I will. So, how’d the press conference go?”_

“Erg. Tim, it was a nightmare. Mr. Kent was there.”

_“Clark?”_

“Yeah and no one had told him about you and Conner.”

_“Shit.”_

“Yeah.”

 _“Okay.”_ Tam imagined Tim rubbing his forehead. _“That sucks, but I’m sure it’s fine. It’s Conner’s problem, not mine, so it’ll be fine. Anything else?”_

“Adelia is already setting up a campaign to ensure Conner will be positively received. Poison Ivy set a rainbow bouquet that smelled of cinnamon with a congratulations note, so I’ll send a thank-you note on your behalf. One of your pet projects hit a slight snag, but it’s nothing to worry about.”

_“Can you send me the file for the project? I’ll see if I can spot the problem.”_

“Sure, but remember that your still on vacation." Tam kept her voice steady. "Also, Bruce stopped by my office.” Tam heard Tim splutter and choke on something, probably the coffee he mentioned earlier.

 _“What! What did he say? Did he-”_ Tim asked, panicked.

“Tim! Calm down. It’s fine. He wanted to know where you are, but I didn’t tell him. He wants you to call him when you get a chance. He said he just wants to talk.”

_“Just wants to- He never just wants anything!”_

“Then don’t call him. But he did seem to be sincere.”

 _“I… I don’t know. Did he look mad?”_ It always amazed Tam how Tim could take on the worst of Gotham’s rogues, but was nervous talking to people.

“At first, yeah. I’m sure it will be fine. He’s your dad.” Tam shifted in her chair. “Speaking of which, I kind of came out to my dad today.”

 _“Tam! That’s great.”_ The joy in Tim’s voice made her smile. _“I still can’t believe that Cissie was your sexual awakening.”_

“Listen. She’s gorgeous. When we were at the beach, she asked me to rub sunscreen on her back. I was living every teen boy’s fantasy and a few of my own.”

_“I can’t believe you!”_

“She’s hot!” She heard Tim laughing and relaxed further into her chair.

_“Hey. I’m glad you’re happy.”_

“You too. I’ll pick you a charming hotel, one with a beautiful view.”

_“I have Conner with me. I always have a beautiful view.”_

Tam laughed. She and Tim exchanged goodbyes before hanging up.

She pulled her laptop onto her lap and started researching hotels and villas. She knew that Tim had no object to money, so she didn’t bother to worry. She remembered Tim texted her something about a Jacuzzi in the last hotel.

She grinned when she found one that looked perfect. She booked it under a false name and made a note that they didn’t know how long it would be occupied.  

She stood up to wash off her facemask. She scrubbed away at the green gunk with her towel and wondered if she’d ever find that special someone. Tim and Conner set the bar pretty high. She knew they weren’t perfect, but they were as close to true love as she could imagine.

She sighed and threw her towel in the hamper. Tam could admit to being a little jealous of Tim. He was, as she said earlier, the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar company, a respected hero, and genius inventor. He had friends that would die for him, a devoted fiancé, and his family’s love. He seemed to have everything.

Of course, she knew that to be a lie. She knew that he still had nightmares about his friends and family dying. She knew he would sometimes just hold Conner to reassure himself that they were both still alive. She knew how much he craved Bruce’s affection while at the same time refusing to ask for it. She knew of the vicious fights he got into with his brothers that left him hurting for days.

She knew that there was a time he didn’t care whether he lived or died.

She covered her face with her hands. Just thinking about it still scared her. It was an awful year. When he was working with Ra’s and hating himself for it. When everyone thought he was insane, and he was starting to believe them. When everyone he loved was either dead or betraying him.

She always wondered if when he fell off the building he knew that Nightwing would catch him or if he didn’t care. She never asked him.

She walked back over to her chair and sank into it. She opened her laptop to see the photos Tim had sent her. Tim’s smiling face stared up at her. She hadn’t lied when she told Mr. Wayne that Tim was the happiest she’d ever seen. He looked like he was glowing, filled with an inner light. Conner was grinning down at him, eyes so full of love he looked like he might explode.

She smiled slightly and traced the outline of the photo with her finger. She was still holding the photo when a knock sounded from her door.

Instantly, she was on edge. Ever since the whole League of Assassin’s debacle, she had asked Tim to give her some self defense tips. He had agreed and had given her several surprise tests in the form of sneak attacks with a paint gun. Even if Tim was overseas, it could still be a hostile. She crept closer to door and peeked out her peephole.

When she saw who was at the door, she was surprised, but relaxed. Stephanie and Cassie Sandsmark stood outside. She flung open the door, forgetting for a moment she had already changed into her pajamas.

“Hi, Tam!” Steph grinned at her. “Can we come in?”

Tam nodded, confused. She ushered the two heroes into her apartment. “Has something happened?”

“What? Oh, no. Nothings wrong. I just thought we could hang out.” Steph held up one of the bags she was carrying. “I brought waffle supplies.”

“Do you have a waffle maker?” Cassie asked.

“Um. Yeah. It’s in the kitchen.” Tam led the way to the kitchen and tried to clear off some counter space for Stephanie to put her things. She reached in her cabinets for the waffle maker that her mom had bought and never used.

“Nice place.” Cassie plopped down her bag on the newly clean counter and started to rummage in it, pulling out orange juice and whipped cream.

“Have you heard anything from Tim or Conner recently?” Steph asked as Tam pulled out the slightly dusty waffle maker.

“Yes, just a few minutes ago.”

“Cool. Tim called me this morning, but he said he didn’t want to be on his phone all day, so I haven’t heard too much.”

Tam was still a little confused. While she had hung out with the two heroes before, it had always been in the company of either Tim or Conner. She was too close to be an acquaintance yet wasn’t close enough to be considered a friend. Or so she thought. The way Steph was acting made her think she was alone in her assessment.

“He sent me some pictures. I need to choose which ones to post. Want to help?” she asked.

“I want to! I know Kon’s passwords, I can post stuff for him.” Cassie finished emptying her bag and stored the juice in the fridge. “Steph won’t let me help make waffles anyway.”

“Tim has hold me enough about your cooking skills that I’m scared to be in the same kitchen as you. No way in hell I’m letting you near my waffles.” Steph ignored Cassie’s glare to pull out a set of sparkly purple measuring cups from her bag.

“I’ll grab my laptop. Make yourselves at home.” Tam retreated to her room to grab her laptop and hesitated a moment before also picking out some nail polish. She still wanted to paint her nails and she wouldn’t mind sharing so she picked a couple of colors and brought them to the living room/dining area.

Steph already had combined most of the ingredients and was stirring like a madwoman. Tam placed her laptop on the island so that she could see it while cooking. Cassie perched on the stool next to her. Tam clicked on the first photo.

It was a picture of the happy couple embracing in front of Eiffel Tower. Their foreheads were pressed together, and they gazed into each other’s eyes with obvious adoration. Cassie cooed slightly.

Tam clicked on the next photo and an image of a drowsy Tim sitting on the terrace of their hotel filled the screen. He was rubbing his eyes with back of one hand and clutching a cup of coffee with the other. The oversized sweater he was wearing slipped off one shoulder. A plate of pastries sat between him and the photographer.

A picture of Conner with his forearms resting on the railing of the terrace was next. He was standing in the fading light of a sunset, lit up by the lights of Paris. He overlooked the city with an awed look on his face. He looked like a model. The way the lights made his eye’s sparkle made Tam jealous. She recognized Tim’s camera work.   

They scrolled through several more photo including some face swaps with paintings from the Louvre. They made notes of which photos to post to Tim’s account and which to Conner’s, which had recently been verified. Each girl had a favorite picture. Tam liked the photo of Conner relaxing in Tuileries Garden. Between Conner’s ability to take photos at the most flattering angles and Tim’s all-around photography skills, almost every photo came out magazine worthy. It helped that both of them were unfairly model-level gorgeous. The few unusable photos were deleted, but it still left plenty of photos to choose from.

In between bites of delicious waffles piled with whipped cream and maple syrup, the girls picked out the best of the photos and uploaded them to the respective social media accounts. Steph mocked the picture of Tim trying to eat a crepe and getting Nutella all over his face. Tam had to veto the vote to put it on all their accounts. They did add a video of Tim trying to convince Conner that _merde_ was French for thank you.

By the time the girls had finished choosing the photos it was already dark. Tam offered to let them both spend the night, an offer they happily accepted. They spent the night doing each other nails and eating junk food.

Tam was surprised by how much she enjoyed both girls’ company. Steph was loud and expressive while Cassie was warm and teasing. Both girls were surprisingly mature for their ages, but perhaps it wasn’t surprising, considering their hero careers. She appreciated it. Most people her age seemed horribly immature. Especially, the rich kids who depended on their daddies and mommies for everything. She had heard one of classmates say that it didn’t matter if he crashed his car drunk driving for the third time that month because his dad would take care of it. It made her skin crawl.

“Okay, okay, okay. So, Tam. How did Tim tell his “ex-fiancée” that he had a boyfriend?” Steph rolled over to face her. The hour was so late that all the girls had reached the too-tired-to-be-anything-but-giggly-and-brutally-honest stage of sleepovers. The girls were all sprawled over Tam’s bed, limbs tangled together and personal space all thoroughly invaded.

Tam grinned at her. “He was so casual about it. He just said, “my boyfriend is picking up coffee, do you want anything?” and I couldn’t breathe. I was like, oh my god, who the hell is stupid enough to date this moron?”

“Like you didn’t have a crush on him,” Cassie snorted.

“Oh, I did. Still do, a bit.” Tam stared at the ceiling. “But can you blame me?”

“Hell no. He’s sweet, powerful, and hot as fuck. Not to mention loaded.” Steph rested her head in Tam’s lap.

“He’s a good kisser, too,” Cassie added.

“Yeah, he is- wait. How did you know that?” Steph raised her head from Tam’s lap to stare at Cassie.

Cassie’s face glowed red. “Um. Just for the record, we both agree it was stupid, but after Kon’s… death, we kind of kissed. You were dead too, Steph. We were both grieving, but it was a mistake.”

Steph dropped her head. “Okay. Does… Does Conner know?”

“Yeah. I told him after he came back. He forgave us both in a heartbeat.” Cassie shrugged her shoulders nonchalant manner. “We both have moved on. We also agreed to never mention it again.”

“Cassie, don’t take this the wrong way, but I sometimes feel like if our lives were a movie, you’d be Kon’s ex-wife that reappears randomly to create drama and drink mimosas before disappearing back into the night,” Steph said solemnly.

“Oh my god, I love it. That makes me want to wear, like, oversized sunglasses and fur.”

“What would that make me?” Tam asked, shifting slightly so Steph would have a better pillow.

“You’re Tim’s hot co-worker that everyone thinks he’s going to have an affair with, but in reality, you are best friends with his husband and you two go shopping every Saturday,” Steph said.

“That would make you Tim’s ex-girlfriend, who probably is a secret agent who eventually falls in love with his sister. It makes family reunions a little awkward, but you both parted on good terms.” Cassie chimed.

Steph shrugged. “Trade secret agent for vigilante and that’s basically what happened.”

“Jesus, our lives would make a great TV show.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Next is Clark and Kent family! I do want to get back to Conner and Tim, but Clark is demanding answers. Thank you all for your continued support, I'll try to update soon! If you see any errors, please point them out. I wrote this whenever I could, so there may be mistakes. I'm not entirely thrilled with it, but I'm doing my best!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading it, kudos and comments make me weep from joy. I'll probably be slow to update, but I will eventually. Just warning you now, I write slower than a snail. If you spot any mistakes, please tell me. This is one of the first time's I've written like this. Thank you for reading!


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